Hanover Tower Project Construction Site Accidents

Late last year, the Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) gave its recommendation to Hanover Company’s latest Atlanta construction project, a 40-story mixed-use tower that will border the planned extension of 15^th Street. The proposed project, located at 1230 West Peachtree Street, would produce 8,600 square feet of ground level retail space beneath 258,000 square feet of office space, as well as 328 residential apartments.

The Hanover Tower, when completed, will be located across the street from the Arts Center MARTA stop, providing easy access for commuters. Although the DRC gave its overall blessing to the project, it did recommend a few small changes that would be designed to provide better pedestrian access and preserve more of the area’s greenery. The developer is hoping to break ground on the project in 2021, which will coincide with the start of the 15^th Street extension.

Hanover Tower Construction Accident Risks

The Hanover Company construction project will require thousands of workers and countless man-hours to bring it to completion. Like the other Midtown Atlanta construction projects, this project will create lots of new jobs and be a boon for the local economy. But along with a project like this comes increased risks of workplace accidents – particularly if the project developers do not follow government safety standards and take other reasonable steps to help ensure that the job site is safe.

Construction is a very dangerous occupation, and the worker fatality rate in this industry is much higher than the all-industry average. According to OSHA, approximately one out of every five fatalities in the workplace is construction-related. And within this industry, OSHA identifies what they call the “fatal four” – the four leading causes of construction related fatalities:

• Falls: Slips, trips, and falls are by far the most common type of construction accident, accounting for approximately one-third of all construction site injuries. With projects like the Hanover Tower, workers are frequently performing tasks in high places often on slippery surfaces and with very little space to maneuver.
• Being Struck By/Struck Against Events: This is the second most common type of construction accident, accounting for approximately 11% of fatal construction workplace events. With a construction project, there are a lot of moving parts, and this can mean literally hundreds of individuals working alongside each other. With so much happening, there is a heightened risk of someone being struck by a loose tool, falling debris, or another hard object or surface.
• Electrocutions: Electrical injuries are the third most common type of construction accident, accounting for about 8.5% of construction workplace fatalities. With every Midtown Atlanta construction project, there is a lot of electrical work being performed, and when something goes wrong, workers run the risk of being electrocuted.
• Being Caught In Between/Crush Injuries: This is the fourth leading cause of construction fatalities, accounting for roughly 5.5% of such events. Construction workers are frequently in compact and enclosed areas where there is a greater risk of getting caught in between or getting crushed if something goes wrong.

These four types of injuries account for nearly 60% of all construction-related deaths, and OSHA says that eliminating them would save the lives of approximately 600 American workers each year.

In addition to the four most common construction injuries, there are several other potential hazards that workers in this industry need to be aware of. These include:

• Fires and explosions;
• Structural collapses;
• Crane accidents;
• Tool and machinery accidents;
• Exposure to loud noises;
• Exposure to toxic substances;
• Transportation accidents.

Who is Liable for a Midtown Atlanta Construction Site Injury?

If a construction worker gets injured while working on the Hanover Tower project or any other Atlanta area construction site, they deserve to be fully compensated for their injuries. And while an injured worker can claim benefits through their employer’s workers’ compensation policy, the benefits available through this avenue are extremely limited.

In most cases, workers’ comp will only cover a worker for necessary medical expenses and a percentage of lost wages. But they will not reimburse for the intangible costs associated with a construction site injury; such as pain and suffering, psychological distress, and diminished quality of life.

The one piece of good news is that there may be other avenues for an injured construction worker to recover the full and fair compensation they deserve – depending on the circumstances. As we touched on earlier, construction projects have a lot of moving parts, and there are a lot of different factors that can contribute to a construction site accident. For this reason, there are several parties that could be at fault, and this could open a door to filing a personal injury lawsuit directly against whatever parties are responsible.

Some possible scenarios in which an injured construction worker could have a viable personal injury claim include:

• A construction worker is injured by the actions of a third-party subcontractor who is working nearby;
• A work-related injury occurs off-site when a construction worker’s vehicle is struck by another driver;
• A structural collapse resulting in workplace injuries occurs because of a faulty building design;
• A construction site injury happens because a defective piece of equipment or machinery malfunctions.

With a personal injury claim, an injured worker could recover damages for both the direct economic losses and the intangible noneconomic losses that were sustained. And although nothing can make up for the horrible negative effects of a serious workplace injury or fatality, the ability to recover maximum financial compensation can at least help ease some of the suffering that those who are impacted have to endure. Holding those responsible accountable also goes a long way toward discouraging similar types of negligence or recklessness in the future, which can also help save lives.

What to Do if You are Injured in a Fulton County, GA Construction Site Accident

If you or a loved one suffers injury while working on the Hanover Tower or any other Atlanta area construction project, seek immediate medical treatment, report the injury to your employer, then contact Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C. for legal help. These types of cases can be extremely complicated, and we will thoroughly review the specific circumstances around your injury and advise you of which potential legal avenues you may be able to pursue. Our initial consultations are always free, and if we take your case, we will only charge attorney fees if we recover compensation on your behalf.

To schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys, message us online or call our Atlanta office today at (678) 981-5370. We look forward to serving you!